Scarlett Johansson's newest upcoming role will be that of Dante "Tex" Gill, who was the real-life owner of massage parlors in 1970s Pittsburgh that also served as hubs for prostitution.

Angela Weiss/AFP / Getty Images/Pittsburgh Press

The film is currently called Rub and Tug and pairs her again with director Rupert Sanders, whom she collaborated with for Ghost in the Shell, the film adaptation of a popular Japanese manga that became the subject of a whitewashing casting controversy.

Buried in details of Gill's life of crime is the fact that Gill lived publicly as a man, and would likely identify as trans in modern times, and so Johannson, as a cis woman, playing the character did not go over well on social media.

The statement a representative for the actor gave Bustle in response to the latest casting controversy only stoked the flames: "Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman's reps for comment."

The statement refers to other cisgender actors who have played critically acclaimed transgender roles. Tambor has won the Golden Globe and Emmy for his role in Transparent. Huffman was nominated for an Oscar for Transamerica, and Leto won for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.

And people weren't having it.

“This cis misunderstanding and exploitation of trans people can’t be problematic because look at how all these other cis people misunderstood and exploited trans people and got awards for it!” 🤬 https://t.co/p3CedbbXXQ